Central Texas cities have reported record highs as summer peaks and raises temperatures in the Southwest region.
Temperatures approached 120 degrees (Fahrenheit) in parts of the southwest on July 23 as forecasters warned this week could bring the region’s hottest weather of the year.
In Waco, the National Weather Service says temperatures reached 114 degrees (F). In the past, the city’s highest recorded temperature was 112 degrees, set on August 11, 1969.
This was confirmed by Dennis Cain, who said the new record was reached “Officially and by two degrees, this is the hottest it has ever been in Waco.”
Cain further stated that “this is the seventh day of record-breaking days in a row for Waco.”
July 23, 2018, marked the 12th straight day of triple-digit heat in Waco, and the 25th during this summer. The official National Weather Service thermometer beat 100 for the first time on June 2, with 9 more days of heat in excess of 100 degrees in June, and 15 days in July, to date.
While there’s only a 10 percent chance of rain, incoming clouds from the Dallas/Fort Worth area may provide some cover and respite from the searing heat.
“It is technically a cold front that will knock temperatures down to about a few degrees above normal, instead of being more than 14 degrees above normal,” Cain said.
Camp Mabry, in Austin, reported a high of 110 degrees, breaking its July 1954 record of 109 degrees.
Burnet, in the Texas Hill County, also reached 110 degrees, which matched its previous all-time high set on August of 2011.
According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, more than 72 percent of Texas is experiencing abnormally dry conditions to a classification defined as an “exceptional drought.”
Other parts of the southwest are also experiencing the brunt of the summer heat. In Phoenix, Arizona, temperatures reached 115 degrees, which broke the previous daily record, according to the National Weather Service.
Firefighters and city officials distributed cloth visors, hand fans and cooling neckerchiefs to downtown Phoenix commuters, advising them to stay indoors as much as possible. Exposure to excessive heat can result in adverse effects to one’s health, such as heatstroke.
Excessive heat warnings were issued for many cities in the southwestern U.S. with temperatures expected to approach 120 degrees in what forecasters say could be the hottest days of the year.
The heat warning extended to southeastern California, including desert communities such as El Centro, Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms and Blythe, as well as north to some parts of Nevada, including Las Vegas.
Parts of Utah, including the Dixie and Lake Powell regions, also received an excessive heat warning as temperatures are expected to reach 109 degrees.